“HEY BEAR!!!!” I yell as I look up from some very fresh tracks in the trail in front of me. The grizzly, surprised by my yell, tears off out of view around the corner, a brown blur through the trees.
With bear spray in hand, traveling in a group, and making noise we were prepared for this near miss during a backpacking trip in the heart of Yellowstone National Park a few years ago, and fortunately for all parties involved, it was uneventful. Bear spray is a last resort to avoiding bear attacks, but if you’re traveling into the backcountry of Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks or the surrounding wild country, this simple tool is an essential item to bring with you. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is grizzly country, and though bear attacks are rare, bear spray is an important tool to keep you and bears safe. When used properly, spray has been shown to prevent injury in 98% of cases!
In order for bear spray to be effective however, you have to know how to use it. For bear spray to do its job it needs to be easily accessible and ready to fire from a safe location, in working order, and discharged properly. Here are 7 ways to effectively carry and use bear spray in Yellowstone, and a few ways you shouldn’t use it!
The Cowboy - Carrying Bear Spray on your Belt
One of the most popular ways to carry bear spray is attached to your belt., We’ll call this “The Cowboy” Most bear spray comes with either a soft elastic holster with a belt loop or a hard plastic holster with a clip. Both can easily be attached to your belt in an accessible location where the spray can be fired forward without removing from the holster. This is a key aspect of carrying bear spray, you must be able to fire it effectively with seconds notice, which could mean from the holster.
One consideration for carrying spray on your belt is making sure you don’t accidentally depress the trigger with your backpack when sitting down on the trail or a vehicle. Keeping the safety on at all times and considering moving the bear spray to a more safe location in these situations can help prevent accidental discharge.
The Backpacker - Carrying Bear Spray on your Backpack Hip Belt
Similar to the Cowboy, The Backpacker carries spray in a safe and accessible location by attaching it to the Belt strap of their backpack. This is especially effective for large multi day packs which would cover up spray on a belt. Bear spray is only effective if you have it accessible, so don’t forget to grab it if you drop your pack when nature calls!
The Bino Harness - Carrying Bear Spray on your Binocular Harness
Bino harnesses like the FHF Harness are becoming more popular especially within the hunting and wildlife watching community as they are a comfortable way to carry and protect your optics with easy access. The same goes for attaching a bear spray to your bino harness, which is why this is my #1 way to carry it. The spray is always with me, even if I drop my pack or am getting in and out of a vehicle and it is unlikely to be bumped and accidentally discharge. That, and I get to be a big nature dork and carry my binos around all the time!
The Runner - Carrying Bear Spray on your Backpack Shoulder Strap
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a big increase in trail runners in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Ultralight systems are allowing athletes to venture further into wilderness areas and effectively carrying spray is especially important for this group. Fortunately, many of the trail running packs have an attachment point on the shoulder strap of the packs to carry bear spray in an accessible location. I personally like having my spray lower on my body where it is easier to access, which is why for many runners the next two options might be good ones to consider.
The Scat Belt - Carrying Bear Spray on a Detachable Belt
Another technology some runners and hikers use is a product known as “The Scat Belt” this simple belt has a pocket specifically designed for bear spray which allows it to be carried in a safe and accessible area around your waist where it can be easily deployed. As with all of these methods, make sure it is carried so it can be fired without being pulled from the holster.
Hand-Held - Carrying Bear Spray in Your Hand
I often switch to handheld while traveling through thick timber that I can’t see very well or at dawn/dusk when wildlife activity is increased. Holding bear spray allows you to quickly aim and hold the spray steady with both hands should you need to fire at a charging bear. Some runners prefer carrying spray this way instead of attached to a pack or belt.
The Biker - Carrying Bear Spray on your Road or Mountain Bike
Mountain Biking is another activity that is increasing across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and there have been several recent incidents where cyclists have been charged by bears. There are several methods to safely carry bear spray while riding. Some may choose to use one of the above methods such as The Runner or Scat Belt. I personally use and recommend a water bottle style holster. You can buy a specialized bear spray mount that attaches to your bike with bolts just like a water bottle cage. To make your own bike holster, get a standard size (approx. 6” tall) soft water bottle and soften it for several minutes using boiling hot water. Then carefully take the bear spray cylinder (without any carrying accessory) and insert it into the open and empty water bottle. This will reform the heated bottle to fit your spray. Both can then be secured to your bike using a standard water bottle cage.
I’ve also seen folks using fabric water bottle bags that attach to handlebars as a way to carry spray. This keeps it quite accessible and relatively safe from unexpected crashes and could be another good option.
How Not to Carry Bear Spray
For all of the great ways to safely carry bear spray there are a few not so great ways to carry it. Remember, if your spray isn’t easily accessible, ready to fire, and in working order it won’t work when you need it! Here are a few ways Not to carry bear spray.
The Cliff Hanger - Carrying Bear Spray with a Carabiner
Carabiners can securely attach items to your backpack and that’s the problem. Though you won’t lose your bear spray, it takes time to unclip a carabiner, especially the locking ones, and we can’t exactly ask a charging bruin to pause for a second can we? I’ve also noticed that sometimes folks will hang bear spray from their backpacks, letting it swing back and forth, which increases the risk of impact and puncture. As someone who has been sprayed, it’s not fun, so keep your spray secure but accessible!
The Terrified Tourist
Even though it is extremely rare, the thought of being mauled by a bear is terrifying to many people, leading some to take risky actions in order to protect themselves. Carrying bear spray without the safety on is one such example we’ll call the Terrified Tourist. Without a safety on, bear spray can easily be accidentally discharged leaving you and anyone near you with a horrible, yet non-fatal burning sensation in your eyes, ears, and mouth. Bear spray should be treated like a loaded weapon.
The Back of the Backpack
No matter how you recreate, it is especially important to carry bear spray in an accessible and safe location. Photo: @joshmettenphoto
Carrying bear spray in a pocket of your backpack is good intentioned, but if it isn’t immediately accessible you probably won’t be able to use it when you need it. Remember, for bear spray to do its job it needs to be easily accessible and ready to fire from a safe location, in working order, and discharged properly.
The I Forgot it in my Car
In addition to the obvious consequence of not having bear spray with you on the trail, leaving spray in a hot car can cause big problems for your vehicle if it explodes. Recently I went to grab something from my truck on a hot summer day in Jackson. As I was rummaging around I started coughing uncontrollably and noticed a burning sensation in my nose and eyes. I looked over to the passenger seat, and there was my spray, cooking in the sun and emitting a quiet hissing sound as pressure escaped from the can. I carefully removed it from the truck and set it down in the shade, narrowly avoiding serious damage to my vehicle. Lesson learned.
How to Avoid Getting Sprayed
My near miss of leaving bear spray in my vehicle was a reminder about how to carry spray safely. I always place my spray in a secure location for travel where it won’t overheat, and am careful to make sure the safety is always in place.
Should you ever need to deploy bear spray, it is likely that you will experience some of its impacts. That’s why it’s important to prevent negative encounters (read more about safety in carnivore country here). By traveling in groups, making noise, and paying attention to our surroundings we can avoid conflict in the first place.
Accidents happen and should you be sprayed, use dish soap to neutralize the oils found in the spray on clothing or your body. If sprayed in the eyes, a water and or milk rinse will help provide relief. Bear spray is temporary but painful!
Safety in Carnivore Country
As fall comes to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, bear activity is increasing as these animals prepare to enter hibernation by fattening up. Though it is rare for bears to attack people, it does happen occasionally. By taking a few steps we can better protect ourselves and bears, keeping the GYE wild for all (read more about Safety in Carnivore Country here). We hope you’ve enjoyed these tips for how to safely carry bear spray. If you liked this article, please share it with friends, we’d greatly appreciate it!
Josh Metten is a Senior Naturalist and Photographer with EcoTour Adventures.
